The Problem: Still Full From Last Night

The Problem: Still Full From Last Night

Solution: there's plenty of liquid lunch out there

I’m going to throw something out there — please, somebody tell me I’m not the only one. The spicier the food, the more of it I’m apt to eat. Last night I went to a friend’s house for what I unceremoniously call “make your own sandwich night” (riveting) and over-ate to an uncomfortable extreme. He chopped up a whole habanero pepper and sprinkled it over the condiments on his sandwich (see the actual photo here), then asked if I wanted a bite.

“No.” “Come on.” “No, I want to taste the rest of my dinner and it’ll make the wine taste and feel like battery acid.” “Come on.” “No!” “Please, one bite. One. One bite. ONE BITE!” “Okay, god!”

So I took a bite, and it was DELICIOUS. I love the fleeting seconds of fruity chile flavor you get from a habanero before the capsaicin sets in and you begin to experience the meaning of “world of hurt.” And I found myself in the kitchen a few minutes later with a knife in one hand, a habanero in the other and an internal conflict to deal with. Not the kind in your head. I finished my sandwich in all its fiery glory, and found myself not exactly hungry after; I just wanted more habanero. So I made and finished another sandwich and I’m still full, 14 hours later. And my tongue is still kind of swollen, so good thing I’m writing this and not telling the story out loud. What do you mean “it’s not really a story?”

Anyway, today’s lunch has to be liquid, cooling and not involve actual food. Specifically not habaneros or sandwiches, and seriously not peer pressure. That was a peer pressure sandwich, really.